Commission reviews replat to absorb 25-foot city right-of-way at 1809 John McCain Road

Staff presented a replat for 1809 John McCain Road that would incorporate a city-owned 25-foot remnant of a previously dedicated right-of-way into the applicant’s parcel.

The plan, the staff presenter said, is “to incorporate an abandoned 25 foot right of way concurrently,” noting the strip dates from a decades-old plan that never produced a connecting road. The site is currently used as an RV storage business and carries ML zoning.

The commission’s discussion focused on process and precedent. Staff said a similar case for 5520 Collierville Boulevard resulted in the city accepting a fee to transfer the land after formally abandoning the right-of-way. Staff told commissioners they do not have an established formula for calculating such a fee and offered to coordinate with the city manager’s office to determine whether the manager wanted a price presented to the commission.

Commissioners asked whether the city or applicant initiated the abandonment; staff said the city initiated the request. Commissioners also asked whether the city planned further development of the strip. Staff said they had heard informal interest and that the city might sell the parcel but that no marketing or specific project was known.

No formal action was taken at the work session; staff said the replat and right-of-way abandonment would proceed to City Council for formal review of the plat and the abandonment/quitclaim process.

Commissioners requested that staff follow up with the city manager’s office about a purchase fee and provide any recommended figures to the commission before the council hearing.